US 12,187,625 B2
Zero liquid discharge eutectic freeze desalination with intermediate cold liquid
Hamidreza Shabgard, Norman, OK (US); Ramkumar N. Parthasarathy, Norman, OK (US); and Jie Cai, Norman, OK (US)
Assigned to The Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK (US)
Filed by The Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK (US)
Filed on Nov. 11, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/095,675.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/933,932, filed on Nov. 11, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0139346 A1, May 13, 2021
Int. Cl. C02F 1/22 (2023.01); C02F 1/26 (2023.01); C02F 101/10 (2006.01)
CPC C02F 1/265 (2013.01) [C02F 1/22 (2013.01); C02F 2101/10 (2013.01); C02F 2209/02 (2013.01); C02F 2301/10 (2013.01); C02F 2305/00 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for desalinating a feed brine using a two-stage freezing process, wherein the feed brine includes a salt dissolved in water, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a source of cooled intermediate-cold-liquid (ICL);
introducing the feed brine and the cooled ICL to a first stage freezing tank;
contacting the feed brine with cooled ICL for a time sufficient to form a first slurry of ice, brine, and ICL within the first stage freezing tank;
separating the ICL, ice and brine of the first slurry of ice, brine and ICL in a first column;
moving the separated ice to a first stage melting tank to form a first volume of desalinated liquid water;
separating the ICL from the brine in a first stage ICL-brine separator;
moving the separated brine to a second stage freezing tank; and
contacting the separated brine with cooled ICL for a time sufficient to form a second slurry of ice, brine and ICL within the second stage freezing tank.